Automatic shutter-controlled apparatus for the radiators of internalcombustion engines



April 29 1924. 1,492,437

- C. M. DOWELL AUTOMATIC SHUTTER GONTROLLED APPARATUS FOR THE RADIATORS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 3, 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i lNvEN'roR i aMpwelZ,

WITNESS S I if@ Y ATTO R N EY -April 29, 1924. 1,492,437

C. M. DOWELL AUTOMATIC SHUTTER CONTROLLED APPARATUS FOR THE RADIATORS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 5, 191'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iNvE'NToR p q/Mmwzz,

@W63 BY ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 29, 1924.

CHESTER M. DOWELL, 0F HUNTINGBURG, IN IANA, ASSIGNOR T0 HERBERT f 1%,4923317' Unirse srarss amant orales.

OF DETROIT, l ICHIGAN.

'AUTOMATIC SHUTTER-CONTEROLLED APPARTUS FOR THE RADIATOBS OF INTERNAL- COMBUSTIO'N' ENGINES.

"-- Applicaton filed April 3, 14917. Serial No. 159,496.

To all whom t may concern.'

e it known that I, CHESTER M. DowELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntingburg, in the rzounty of Dubois and State of Indiana, have invented new and f useful Improvements in Automatic Shutter-Controlled Apparatus for the Radiators of Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention is an automatic shutter controlled apparatus for the radiators of internal combustion engines.

As a rule a self-propelled vehicle is not provided with any means whereby the temlpr'ature of the cooling water may be maintained at a predetermined degree. It is well known that the4 proper operation of an internal combustion engine 1s dependent upon the heat ofthe cooling'water. It must neither abstract too much heat from the cylinder walls, nor must it permit the cylinder walls to get too hot.

n theusual construction of self-propelled vehicles; the radiator, which is composed of a large number of radiating surfaces, is placed at the forward end of the vehicle, and, especially in Winter time, some means mustY be provided to prevent too much air from passing through and over the radiating surfaces. This is usually done by providing a hood cover, which includes a radiator cover having a flap which turns down and obstructs the passage of the air over the radiating surfaces. In the practical usage of the hood cover and the radiator cover, and especially7 when alcohol is put into the cooling water on Warm days, one must removel a greater portion of the cover. This is a disadvantage, as one must be on a constant look-out for changes in temperature.

f 'Broadly sta-ted, the invention comprises a thermostatadapted to open and close, a circuitfizlaeading to an electro-magnet, a cylinder land a piston operable therein, the cylinder being provided with two heads, one of which is movable, and both heads being provided with ports which nix-y be brought into registration, the movable head being adapted to be actuated by the electro-niagnet, and one of the said ports being connected to theintake manifold of the engine and the other port being adapted to permit,

' companying air to have access within the cylinder, said `movable head being provided with means to maintain the air ports in registration, the piston being provided with a rod which extends through another head, a collar on said rod, and a spring interposed between said latter head and the collar, a shutter adapted to be positioned adjacent the radiator to regulate the amount of air passing therethrough, and mea-ns to connect the piston rod with the shutter to actuate the same.

One practical form of the construction will be described and illustrated in the acdravvings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section, showing the assembly in connection with the radiator;

Figure 2 is a perspective view, showing the shutter operating mechanisms;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a movable head, stem and arm, illustrating the ports; and

Fig re 4 is a vertical sectional view throu h the cylinder heads.

Fig. 5 is a diagram of the electric circuit containing the electromagnet.

The radiator, as shown in Figure l, is of the usual or customary type, as employed upon self-propelled vehicles and' in aeroplane Work, and comprises the shell portion 5 and the attaching lugs 6 and 7, and the customary filling cap 8. The radiating surfaces (notshown) may be of.the sual formation. The shutter operating m chan'sm, if so desired, may be'built into the sh ll 5, as shown in Figure l. Mounted upo the upper portion of the shell A5"is a thermostat provided with a movable bar 9 formed of dissimiiarY metals having differenti co-etiicients of expansion. One end of this bar may be fastened to the metal shell of the radiator in any approved manner, the point of connection being indicated at 10. Spaced from the free end of this bar 9 is an insulating block 1l, which may be composed of fiber or hard rubber, and is secured to the shell by means of the screws 12. Mounted upon the upper side of this block 11 is an arm 13, which is secured to this block 11 by means of a screw 14. This screw 14 also provides a connection for'one terminal of the wire, 'indicated at 15. The outer end of this arm or bar 13 is provided with an :a LEWIS,

l aperture through which' passes a threaded screw havlng a flat head 16, a threaded stem 17, and is further provided with a lock nut 18.' The free end of the threaded portion 17' is adapted to contact with the free end of the bar 9 when this latter bar rises due to the rise'A in temperature, and thus completes `the circuit, as will be shown hereafter.

The wire 15, which-forms a part of the circuit, leads from the screw 14 to one terminal of the electro-magnet 19. Another terminal of the magnet 19 is connected by means of the wire 20 to a suitable source of electrical ener which may include in its circuit a pilot amp 21. This pilot lamp 21 is used for two purposes, one to show the olperation ofthe circuit, and also to limit t e amount of current passing therethrough to the magnet 19. The magnet 19 may e attached to the radiator shell 5 in any secure manner, and is provided with a projectin core 22. v

e cylinder 23 is provided with two headsv24 and 25, and each of these heads are provided with registering openings indicated at 27 and 28, as formed in the hea-d 24'. The head 24 is adapted to be rotated, and for this purpose is provided with a stem 29 to which rs connected an arm 30.

The arm 30 carries at its outer end an amature 31,-which is ada ted to cooperate with the core member 22 o the magnet. To maintain the head 25 in a predetermined position so that the slots 28 formed in the eads will register, a spring element 32 is shown as having one end secured to a pin 33 while the. other end of the spring is secured or' contacts with the arm 30. The torsion of this spring tends to bring the Orts 28 into line and thereby register.

en these ports 28 register, they admit air into the interior of the cylinder 23.

The ort 27 formed inthe head 25 is ada te to be directly connected with the inta e manifold of the internal combustion cvrgine by means of the pipe or tube 34.

en the head 24 is in its normalposition and the ports 28 are open to the air, the

-ports' formed in the heads 24 and 25 do not register, but when, as the engine continues to run, the water in the cooling system abstracts the heat from the cylinder walls and becomes warmer and the thermostat operates to close the circuit though the electromagnet 19, the armature 31 is' attracted which moves the ports 28 out of registration and the ports 27 into registration, Whereu on thel suction created by the intake manifo d eixhauste the air from within the cylinder 23, and causes the piston 35 to rise. The 1i'iiiiston 35 may be lformed in any usual or customary manner, and is provided with a rod 36, which projects through a head 37. The lower end of the rod 36 is shown as being f ormed so as to have a pivotal coninea-is? nection with the link 38. The pivotal connection may be of any usual type, and is here shown as being formed of two eyes throu h which passes a pin 39. This pin may e secured in any suitable manner. Disposed at some point intermediate between the head 37 and the eyes there is a collar 40 which may be secured to the rod 36 in any usual manner. Interposed between the head 37 and this collar and surrounding the rod 36 is a spring element 41 which tends to move the piston 35 downward when air is admitted t rough the ports 28 to the interior of the cylinder 23.

The shutter which is positioned adjacent the front of the radiatmg portion of the radiator is provided with a plurality of movable slats 42 through the pivotal mounting indicated at 43. In order -to rotate these several slats 42 around the axis, the actuating bar 44 is provided, which has suitable connections with each one of the elements 42 as indicated at 45. The point of connection is preferably spaced from the pivotal connection 43 so that the slats may be rotated simultaneously. To connect the actuating bar 44 with the piston rod 36, the link 38 was provided and is shown as having a bar 9 is maintained out of contact with the threaded stems 17 and the circuit is broken throu h the electro-magnet 19. This condition o tains when the motor and the water in the circulatin system is cool. At the same time, the s 'utter is also closed, and prevents the passage of air through and over the radiating surfaces of the radiator.

.When the engine is started up and runs, the water circulates and abstracts heat from the cylinder walls, passing upward from the Water jacket to the upper portion of the radiator shell 5. The lon er the engine continues to run with the s utter closed, the uicker the water will become h ot, edecting t e prompt closing of the circuit by element 9. When the temperature of the water reaches :i pi'cduleimincd point. ihc bar 9 will contact with the end of the threaded portion 17, thereupon closing the circuit through the electro-magnet 19. The energizing of the electro-magnet will produce a puil through the ends of the core 22, the connected arms then acting to draw the arm 31 close to the core 22. rhis rotates the head or valve 24 about its axis, which closes the ports 28 and opens the ports 27, whereupon the suction produced in the intake manifold exhausts Ithe air .from within the cylinder 23. The exhaustion of the air produces a slight 'vacuum and this vacuum causes the piston 35 to rise against the action of the spring '41. As the` piston rod 36 moves upward, it communicates its motion moans? ,to .the shutter, and its slats 42 by means of .the link 38. Thus when the shutter is open, the 'air will have free passage through and over the. radiating surfaces of the radiaposed in the tor, which will tend to cool the water of the circulating system. After the thermostat has been once adjusted for a particular temperature rise, the device will be automatic in its operation and the opening and closing of the shutter will be de endent entirely upon the temperature of t e water in the circulating system, and the suction produced by the engine from the intake manifold.

In order to provide for control of the air entering the cylinder 23 through the ports 28, a valve 47 may be employed, and to control the movement of the piston 35 in the cylinder 23, by the engine suction, another valve 48 may be used. As shown it is disort 27 so that it may be connected with t e pipe 34, leading from the intake manifold. The valves may be of any usual or customary type, and are shown as being of the needle ty e.

inor changes in t e form, proportions, and details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

Subject matter relating broadly to controlling the cooling capacity of the radiator, shown, vbut not claimed in this application, is made the subject-matter of my co-pending application Serial No.y 701,995, filed March 26, 1924.

I claim 1. The combination of an internal combustion engine, a cooling system therefor including a radiator, movable means positioned adjacent the radiator for controlling the flow of air through the radiator, and means directly responsive to suction produced in the engine cylinders for actuating said movable means.

2. The combination of an internal combustion engine, a cooling system therefor in-I cluding a radiator, means for controlling the flow of air through the radiator, said means comprising a shutter device associated with the radiator, and means directly rcsponsivcto suction produced in the engine cylinders for actuating said shutter device.

3. The combination of an internal combustion engine. a cooling system therefor including a radiator, means for controlling the flow of air through the radiator, said means Comprising a shutter device associated with the radiator` nicans directly responsive to suction prodnccfl iT] the engine cylinders for actuating said shutter ilcvcc, and a thermostatic device.governing the operation of thc moans responsive to suction.

Il. '.lllle combination of un internal combustion engine, a cooling system thi-,rotor including a radiator, means for iontroiling the How of air through the radiator, said means comprising a shutter device associated with the radiator, a motor adapted to actuate said shutter device, said motor being connected to the intake ot the engine .and adapted to be actuated by the suction of said engine in said intake.

5. The combination ot an internal combustion engine having a Water circulation cooling system therefor including a radiator, means for regulating the flow of air through the radiator, said means comprising a shutter device associated with the radiator, a plurality of means, one of which is operable by the temperature of the cooling Water and another operable b the suction produced in the engine cy inders, said means being adapted to regulate said shutter device so as to regulate the flow of air through the radiator.

6. The combination of an internal combustion engine a cooling system therefor including a ra iator, means for controlling the flow of air through said radiator, said means comprising a shutter device associ- 90 ated With the radiator, and a motor for actuating said shutter device operated by the power derived from the engine, said shutter device being adapted to close as soon as the engine stops.

7. The combination of an internal combustion engine, a cooling system therefor including a radiator, means for controlling the fiow of air through said radiator, said means comprisinv` a shutter device associated with the radiator, a motor for actuating said' shutter device operated by the pow er derived from the engine, said shutter device being adapted to close as soon as the engine stops, and a thermcstatic device for 105 governing the operation of said motor.

8. In combination with au internal combustion engine having a water cooling system including a radiator, an electro-magnetic element enero-ized and deenergized by 110 the temperature oiD the cooling water acting on a thermostat, circuits therefor including a source of electric energy, a cylinder and piston including a movable head for the cylinder formed to act as a valve. said clec- 115 tro-inagnetic element being adapted to move the head, means to connect the head with the intake manifold of the engine, a shutter for the radiator, and means to connect the shutter to the piston to actuatc the shutter.

9. The combination oi an internal combustion engine, u cooling system there for including a radiator', means for cinici-filling the cooling capacity ot' the radiator, and means directly responsive to suction produced 125 in thcenginc cyliudcrs, for actuating the controlling means'.

l0. The combination in :in internal conllun-tion engine, :i cooling system therefor in clndng a radiator, means for controlling the 130 l" cooling capacity of the radiator, means directly responsive to suction produced in the lengine. cylinders, for actuating the control ling means, and a thermostatlc device gov- 5 ermng the operation of the means responsive to suction.

11. The combination of an `internal combstion engine, a cooling system therefor inclnding a radiator, means for varying the l0` cooling capacity of said radiator, a motor adapted to actnate said means', said motor being connected with the intake of the en- 

